The morning sun of the next day carried a soft, golden warmth, like melted honey, flowing slowly over the majestic battlements of Blackwood Fortress.
The lingering heat of the grand banquet seemed not to have dissipated from the air. Every citizen of Blackwood Fortress had a look of heartfelt, satisfied joy on their faces.
The huge warehouse was stuffed full with grain and all kinds of supplies.
And thirty plump and sturdy Mountain Bison were being carefully guided by Aynil and his herdsmen toward the isolated pasture with lush water and grass, which had been specially cleared for them behind the castle.
Outside the castle gate, Elder Shield-Bearer and his fully-loaded team were making final preparations for departure.
The nite of revelry had not worn away this old man's shrewdness. Although there was still a trace of bloodshot from a hangover in his eyes, there was more of a clear, incomparable plan and desire for the future.
He took one last, deep look at the giant city behind him, which appeared even more majestic and mysterious in the morning light.
His gaze swept over the towering walls, over the standing sentry towers, and finally landed on the young-beyond-belief leader who was smiling and waving goodbye to him at the city gate.
He knew that from today on, the survival status of the demi-humans would change completely.
And he, along with the Brown Bear Tribal Alliance behind him, had firmly bound the fate of his tribe to this awakening giant beast named "Blackwood Fortress."
"Leader Colin! One hundred and twenty days from now, we shall meet again!"
Elder Shield-Bearer's resonant voice stirred echoes across the open wilderness.
"Safe journey, my friend."
Colin smiled and waved.
The massive team began to slowly turn. Those hundreds of empty wagons made light, creaking sounds. The Brown Bear People warriors, holding new ironware, had proud and satisfied smiles on their faces as they surrounded their elder and set off on the journey home.
Watching that earth-yellow long dragon gradually disappear into the edge of the southern forest.
A gentle smile still hung on Colin's face.
He was in a good mood.
Everything was running accurately and efficiently along the track he had laid out.
The next trade would involve four thousand pieces of ironware. This meant that the productivity of Blackwood Fortress would be pushed to a new limit again. In exchange, he would receive massive amounts of supplies sufficient to support Blackwood Fortress in undergoing another major expansion of population and scale.
His empire was expanding crazily at a snowballing speed.
However, fate always seemed to like revealing its hideous and cruel fangs when people were most complacent.
Just as Colin turned around, preparing to return to the castle to discuss how to expand production capacity with Berg at the blacksmith shop.
A crisis descended suddenly, without any warning to anyone.
"Woo—woo—woo—!!!"
Three urgent, shrill, and distorted horn blasts suddenly tore thru the peaceful air from the farthest watchtower in the north!
This was not a warning of enemy sightings.
This was the highest-level, blood-red alert representing "friendly forces in mortal danger, extremely urgent"!
In front of the castle gate, everyone's smiles froze instantly.
Colin's pupils contracted violently! He turned around abruptly, like a startled cheetah, staring fixedly at the silent forest to the north.
The next second.
A black dot stumbled out from the edge of the forest.
It was a Snow Giant Wolf.
But it no longer had its usual majestic appearance, like an elf of the snowy mountains.
One side of its body was torn open by a huge wound deep enough to see bone, and blood had stained the white fur on half its body a shocking, viscous dark red.
One of its eyes was swollen like a walnut and could no longer be opened at all.
Its running posture was no longer nimble, but a limping struggle filled with despair and pain. Every step it took left a clear, blood-colored plum blossom print on the green grass behind it.
And on its scarred back, it carried a blood-stained figure that had almost fused with it.
It was a Wolf Cavalry.
The fine leather armor he wore, reinforced with double-layered cowhide and iron plates, had become tattered, as if it had been crazily torn by dozens of starving wolves.
Several black, broken arrows, with only half the shaft remaining, were stuck grimly in his back, shoulders, and legs like the fangs of a venomous snake.
His face was covered in dried blood scabs and mud, making it impossible to see his original features.
He lay prone on the wolf's back, using a broken rein to tie his body tightly to his equally dying partner, as if afraid of falling off the jolting wolf's back.
When he saw the tall walls of Blackwood Fortress, a shocking, flickering light of final vitality erupted in his eyes, which had become unfocused from excessive blood loss!
"Roar!!!"
The dying Snow Giant Wolf seemed to sense its mastee a javelin about to be unsheathed.
"Gather the Snow Giant Wolf Legion and come with me to the north to save them."
"Yes."